Glenn Edwin Chesnut

Published 6:45 pm Monday, July 21, 2014

Glenn Edwin Chesnut was born on Sept. 28, 1928, to William and Aurora Chesnut in Loma Linda, Calif. He passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on July 14, 2014, at his country home near Milton-Freewater, Ore., at the age of 85.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, July 27 at the Stateline Seventh-day Adventist Church at 11:00 a.m.

Glenn was just over a year old when the stock market crashed in 1929, heralding the start of the Great Depression. While still an infant, his family packed up and moved to Arkansas with the intent of aiding their economic survival by farming and gardening to help keep food on the table. Three more children came along while in Arkansas, but one child died while still an infant. The family of five, now including Raymond and Ruth, moved to Medford, Oregon, for a time, but then moved back to Arkansas. Glenn attended Ozark Adventist Academy in Gentry, Arkansas. He met his future wife, Elita Ellen Waller, while at the academy. He spent his summers working the broom corn harvest in Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Glenn and Elita were married in 1947 and their first son, Edwin (Ed) arrived in December of 1948. Moving across country seems to have been in the Chesnut blood. In 1949, Glenn, Elita and baby Eddie loaded into a 1939 Ford with four other friends and moved to Pendleton, Oregon. Their second child, Duane, was born in Pendleton in December of 1949.

In 1961, Glenn moved the family to Milton-Freewater when he was offered the job of store manager for a new branch store of Fords Tire Service in Walla Walla. Both of his sons graduated from McLoughlin Union High School in Milton-Freewater (1967 and 68). A short while later, the first marriage ended.

During the 1970s, Glenn purchased the tire store and renamed the business Glenns Tire Store. He also operated a motel next door.

Glen was working as a corrections officer at the Washington State Penitentiary when he met DeVon Journey. Glenn and DeVon (Dee) were married in 1981 and have shared lifes joys and difficulties for the past 33 years. Following Glenns retirement at the level of sergeant, Glenn and Dee enjoyed a time of travel/exploration as they worked delivering camping trailers to RV dealerships across the country.

In his later years, Glenn achieved a lifelong goal when he and Dee moved to their country home where Glenn could raise chickens, garden and enjoy country life.

Glenn is survived by his wife Dee, his sister Ruth Wolff, his sons, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren and by Dees children: Rod, Mark, Penny and Kim, and their children and grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to: St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.